Change-speed mechanism.



1w MODEL. 15

No. 734,838. PATENTED JULY28, 1903;. J. EDGAR.

GRANGE FEED MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED otmaa, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- 1: 7 'PATBNTED JULY 2a, 1903.

J. EDGAR.

I CHANGE FEED MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 29, 1902. N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

m: norms PETERS cu, FHOTO-LITHDH WASHINGYON. n c..

UNITED STATES Iatented July 28, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN EDGAR, OF HYDEPARK, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO BECKER BRAINARD MILLING MACHINE COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, A

CORPORATION OF MAINE.

CHANGE-FEED MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,838, dated July 28, 1903.

Application filed October 29, 1902- Serial No. 129,239. (No model.)

To a whom it mat concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN EDGAR, a subject i of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, re-

siding at Hydepark, in'the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have in-. vented certain new and useful Improvements in Change-Feed Mechanisms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to an improved change-feed mechanism particularly designed for use in connection with horizontal or vertical milling-machines, but which is also adapted for use in connection with other typesof machine tools or in other relations. -The invention is intended primarily as an improvement on the change-feed mechanism.

disclosed in my pending application, Serial No. 96,917, filed March 6, 1902; but it is to be understood that except as specifically defined in the claims the invention is not limited to the form of changefeed mechanism disclosed insaid application, nor is it limited to the specific constructions and arrangements of parts illustrated in the drawings accompanying this application and hereinafter specifically described. I

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a chan ge-feed mechanism having provision for preventing shocks or jars when a change is made from one speedto another, whereby the various parts of the changespeed gearing connecting the driving and driven members are relieved of injurious strains and are at the same time rendered more certain and reliable in operation.

*Another object of my invention is to improve the indicating devices of change-feed 'mechanisms comprising two hand-operated members and intermediate connections for actuatingthe devices which connect the gears of the change-speed gearing to the driving and driven members. i

With these objects in view my invention contemplates providing a cushioning-spring connection in the mechanism for actuating the driving member of the change-feed mechanism or in the mechanism which is actuated by the driven member, which spring connection is arranged to impart an independent rotary movement to the driven member or x to the driving member when these members are disconnected from each other in changing from one speed to another. By pro viding such a cushioning-spring connection the power which istransmitted by the changespeed gearing is applied thereto gradually and the shock or jar which would otherwise be occasioned at the moment when the driving and driven members are connected is absorbed and no sudden strain is brought upon the various parts of the change-speed gearing; also, the devices which connect the gears of the change-speed gearing to the driving and driven members are allowed to act before the change-speed gearing begins to transmit the full power applied thereto, and thereby such devices are rendered more certain and reliable in their operation.

While my invention, broadly considered,

contemplates providing a cushioning-spring connection either in the mechanism which actuates the driving member or in the mechanism which is actuated by the driven member. I consider it preferable to locate the that the members are allowed to come into engagement and positively transmit the power applied to the machine. It is sometimes desirable to reverse the direction of rotation of the driving member of the change-feed mechanism, and for this reason the cushioningspring connection between the two independe ently rotatable members is preferably arto the other member for operating the same ally described the hand-operated members.

the levers can be readily moved into the required relative positions to produce any desired speed. In the preferred form of this feature of my invention hereinafter specificcomprise two levers and the indicator comprises an indicator-plate pivotally mounted upon the pivotal axis of one lever and connected by means of a link to the other lever, the first-mentioned lever being provided with a pointer cooperatin g with the indicator-plate to indicate the proper position of such lever.

In addition to the features of invention above referred'to my invention also consists in the devices, combinations, and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the advantages of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

A preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vie'w in sectional elevation of a portion of a horizontal milling-machine provided with achange-feed mechanism embodying the same. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of a portion of the machine, illustrating the indicator-plate and the levers for actuating the devices for connecting the gears of the change-speed gearing to the driving and driven members. Fig. 3 is a view in end elevation of so much of the machine as is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 looking from the left of said figures. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View on the line 4 4 of Fig. l, and Fig; 5 is a planview of the indicator-plate detached from the machine.

1 indicates the vertical column of the machine, the column being hollow and being provided with a horizontal cross-web 2 and with a vertical web 3, connecting the horizontal web 2 and the upper wall of the column. A shaft 4 is journa'led in bearings in the rear wall of the column and in the vertical web 3,

and upon this shaft is loosely mounted a sleeve 5, to which is secured a series of gears 6, which form a portion of the gears of the change-speed gearing. The gears of series 6 by being secured to the sleeve 5 are connected together so as to rotate in unison, and this, "seriesiof gears Itherefore term a series of.

connected gears. The remaining gears of the change-feed gearing comprise a series of gears 7, mounted to rotate independently of each other upon a shaft 8, arranged below and parallel with the shaft 4. Since the gears of series 7 are mounted to rotate independently of each other, I term this series of gears a series of independent gears. One end of the shaft 8 is journaled in a bearing inthe rear wall of the column, and the other end is provided with a reduced portion, upon which is mounted a sleeve 9, so as to rotate loosely thereon, the sleeve being held from longitudinal movement with relation to the shaft by means of a nut 10 on the end of the reduced portion of the shaft. The sleeve 9 passes through and has a splined connection with a sleeve 11, mounted to rotate in a bearing in the vertical web 3. The sleeve 11 is rotated from a gear 12, secured to the inner end of the shaft 4through mechanism which will rotated from the power-shaft of the machine through a train of gearing comprising a gear 13, secured to the outer end of the shaft 4, a gear 14, meshing therewith, and-a gear 15, meshing with the gear 14. The shaft 8 is mounted'in its bearing so as to be movable longitudinally, and upon the outer end of the shaft is splined a gear 16, constituting a portion of the mechanism which is actuated bythe shaft 8 and through which the feedshaft of the machine is driven. The gear 16 is held in position by means of the surrounding portion of the casing 17, which incloses the gearing through which the movement of the shaft 8 is transmitted to the feed-shaft of the machine.

The sleeve 9 is actuated from the powershaft of the machine. and through'the gears of the change-speed gearing, comprising the series of gears 6 and '7, drives the shaft 8. The sleeve 9 thus constitutes a driving member and the shaft 8 a driven member. On the sleeve 9 is mounted aspring-press'ed lockingpawl 18, which can be brought into engagement with a slot in any one of the first four gears of series 7, counting from right to left, by moving the shaft 8 and sleeve 9 longitudinally. A rod 19 is mounted to slide axially of the shaft 8 and carries aspring-pressed locking-pawl 20, which extends through a slot in the shaft 8 and which can be brought into engagement with a slot in any one of the first four gears of series 7, counting from left to right, by moving the rod 19 longitudinally of the shaft. When one of the gears of series 7 is connected to the sleeve 9 and another gear of said series is connected to shaft 8, the shaft 8 is driven from the sleeve 9 through the gear of series 7 connected to the sleeve 9, the series of gears 6, and the gear of series 7 which is connected to shaft 8. It will be evident that the speed imparted to the shaft 8 will depend upon which of the gears of series7 are connected to the sleeve 9 and shaft -be hereinafter described, and the shaft 4 is '8 and that by moving the locking-pawls 18 and 20- to engage the proper gears ten differeaohspeed of the sleeve 9.

adjacent gears simultaneously, separatorrings 21 are interposed between the hubs of the gears.

The construction so far described is the same in all essential particulars as that disclosed in my prior application. hereinbefore In the embodiment of my presthe mechanism for transmitting the motion of gear 12 to the sleeve 9 comprises a cushioning-spring connection. This connection consists of a bent spring 22, (see Figs. 1 and 4,)

one end of which is secured to a disk 23, fast f upon the sleeve 11, and the other end of which 'is secured to a gear 24, meshing with the gear 12 and mounted loosely upon the hub of disk 23. Theend of the spring which is attached l to the gear 24 is provided with a projection 25, which when the spring is put under tension by rotating the gear 24 with relation to the disk 23 in one direction engages a projection 26 on the disk 23, so that after the spring is put 'under tension the disk 23 and the sleeve 9 are actuated positively from the gear 24. A block 27 is secured to or formed integral with the gear24 and is arranged to contaot with a projection 28 on the disk after the spring 22 has been put under tension by rotating the gear 24 with relation to the disk 23 in the opposite direction. A movement of the gear 24 with relation to the disk 23 in either direction, therefore, puts the spring 22 under tension and thereafter brings the gear positively into engagement with the disk 23.

The tension ofthe spring 22is such that during the operation of themachine the gear 24 j positively engages the disk 23 so long as the locking-pawls 18 and 20 are in engagement with two of the gears of series 7. In changing from one speed to another either or both of the pawls 1S and 20 are moved and during such movement of either or both of the pawls thesleeve 9 and shaft 8 are disconnected.

' As soon as the sleeve 9 and shaft 8 are dis- 1 connected the spring 22 imparts an independent rotary movement to the sleeve 9, so that when the sleeve and shaft are again connected by the engagement of both pawls 18 and 20 l with two of the gears of series 7 the sleeve 9 remains stationary until the spring 22 is put under tension, the shock or jar which would otherwise be produced when the shaft and sleevewere connected being taken up by the spring. ,The power which is transmitted by the change-speed gears when the machine is in operation is thus applied to the changespeed gearing gradually,and the gears and 'Fig. 2)

with the lever 31.

and thereby the locking-pawls are rendered more certain and reliable in operation. The gearing for transmitting the movement of the pinion 16 to the feed-shaft 29 is not illustrated in the drawings, as it forms no part of my invention and may be of any desired construction. The hand-lever 30 (illustrated in is the lever by which the gearing which connects the gear 16 and the shaft 29 may bethrown out of operation or may be connected, so as to impart either of two different speeds to the shaft 29 for each speed of the gear 16 in a manner well known in the art. Theshaft 8 and sleeve 9 are moved longitudinally and the rod 19 is moved longitudinally with relation to the shaft 8 to bring the locking-pawls 18 and 20 into engagement with the gears of series 7 by means of two'hand-levers 31 and 32. (See Figs.2 and 3.) The lever 31 is secured to one end of a rock-shaft 33, j ournaled in bearings projecting from the casing 17. To the other end of the shaft 33 a lever-arm 34 is secured, the upper free end of which is forked and pro vided with pins which engage a groovedcollar 35,secured to or formed integral with the reduced outer end of the shaft 8. The handlever 32 is secured to one end of the rockshaft 36, journaled in bearings extending upwardly from the casing 17. To the other end of the shaft 36 a lever-arm 37 is secured, which extends downwardly, the free end of the lever-arm being forked and provided with pins which engage a grooved collar 38, mounted to slide. on the reduced outer end of the shaft 8 and connected to the rod 19 by means of a pin passing through a slot in the shaft. To lock the lever 31 in any one of the four positions to which it ismoved in bringing the pawl 18 into engagement with the four righthand gears of series 7, a locking-rod 39 is mounted to slide on the lever 31 and is arranged to engage the notches of a segmental plate 40, supported upon a cylindrical portion of the bearing for the rockshaft 33 and secured to the casing 17 The upper end of the rod 39 is pivotally connected to a springpressed' lever 41, pivotally mounted on the upper end of the lever 31 in convenient position to be grasped by the hand of the opera- For indicating the position to which thelever 32 must be moved when the lever 31 is in each of these four positions in order to produce the different speeds of feed an indicatorplate 42 is provided, secured to or formed integral with a lever 43, pivotally mounted concentrically with the rock-shaft 36 upon a cylindrical portion of the bearing for the shaft. The plate 42 is curved concentrically with the axis of the shaft 36 and is moved to indicate the proper positions for the lever 32 in each position of the lever 31 by means of a link 44, connecting the lower end of the lever 43 l A pointer 45 is secured to the hub of the lever-arm 37 and is thus mounted to move with the lever 32 and cooperate 1 and 2, when the lever 31 is in the position indicated in Fig. 2 the lever 32 can be moved to any one of four different positions. four positions of the lever 32 are indicated on the indicator-plate by the numerals 1 in When the lever 31 is;

the. upper column. moved to bring the locking-rod 39 into engagement with the next notch to the left, the lever 32 can be moved to any one of three different positions, these three positions being indicated on the indicator-plate by the numerals 2 in theupper column.

32 can be moved into but one position, these positions being indicated on the indicatorplate by the numerals 3 and 4. The numerals in the next three columns below the upper column indicate the speeds obtained in each position of the levers 31 and 32 when the lever is in the position in which the gearing conneeting the gear 16 and feed-shaft 29 is connected to impart a fast speed of rotation to the 3 g feed-shaft, and the numerals in the three lower '3 being underlined. lower columns which are underlined indicate 1.

columns indicate the speeds obtained in each position of the levers 31 and 32 whenthe lever 30 is in the position in which the gearing connecting the gear 16 and the feed-shaft 29 is connected to impart a slow speed of rotation to the feed-shaft. It will be noted that both the numerals 1 and 3 appear in the same space in the upper column, the numeral The numerals in the the speeds obtained when the locking-rod 39 is in the third notch of the plate 40 and the lever 32 is movedto bring the pointer oppo- 1 site the space containing the numerals 1 and 3, and the other numerals in the same vertical column indicate the speeds obtained when the lever 32 is moved to this position and the locking-rod 39 of the lever 31 is in engagement with the first notch of the plate 40.

Having thus indicated the nature and scope of my invention and having specifically described a preferred embodiment thereof, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. A change-feed mechanism,having,in combination, a driving member,a driven member, change-gearing intermediate said members, mechanism for actuating said driving memher and mechanism actuated by said driven member, one of said mechanisms comprisinga cushioning-spring connection arranged to impart an independent rotary movement to one These When the locking-rod 39 of the lever 31 is in the third 1 notch of the plate 40, the lever 32 can be moved to either of two positions, and when it is in the last notch of the plate 40 the lever of said members when said members are dis connected, substantially as described.

2. A change-feed mechanism,having,in combination, a driving member,a driven member, change-gearing intermediate said members, mechanism for actuating said driving member, and mechanism actuated by said driven member, one of said mechanisms comprising two members having a limited rotary movement independent of each other arranged to positively engage at the limit of such movement and a cushioning-spring connection between said members, substantially as described.

3. Achange-feed mechanism,having,in combination, a driving member,a driven member, change-gearing intermediate said members, mechanism for actuating said driving member, and mechanism actuated by said driven member, one of said mechanisms comprising two members having a limited rotary movement independent of each other arranged to positively engage when one member is rotated with relation to the other in either direction, and a cushioning-spring connection between said members tending to hold said members separated and arranged to be put under tension when one memberis rotated with relation to the other in either direction, substantially as described.

4. Achange-feedmechanism,having,in combina-tion, a driving member, a driven member, changegearing intermediate said members, and mechanism for actuating said driving member, comprising a cushioning-spring connection arranged to impart an independent rotary movement to the driving member when disconnected from the driven member, substantially as described.

5. Achange-feedmechanism,having,in combination, a drivin gm ember, a driven member, changegearing intermediate said members, and mechanism for actuating said driving member, comprising two members having a limited rotary movement independent of each other arranged to positively engage at the limit of such movement and a cushioningspring connection between said members,sub stantially-as described.

6. A change-feed mechanism,having,in combination, a series of connected gears, a series of independent gears, a longitudinally-movable shaft upon which the independent gears are mounted to rotate, a sleeve thereon, means carried by the shaft and sleeve for connecting the gears thereto, a shaft upon which the connected gears are mounted loosely, means for rotating said shaft and mechanism connecting said shaft and sleeve comprising a looselymounted gear, a member rotating with the sleeve, and a cushioning spring connection between said member and gear, substantially as described.

7. Achange-feed mechanism,having,in combination, a driving member, a driven member, change-gearing intermediate said members, mechanism for actuating said driving memher and mechanism actuated by said driven member, one of said mechanisms comprising two members mounted side by side having a limited rotary movement independent of each other and arranged to positively engage when one member is rotated with relation to the other in either direction, and abent spring connecting said members tending to hold said members separated and arranged to be put under tension when one member is rotated I ,with relation to the other in either direction,

substantially as described.

8. A change-feed mechanisn1,l1av1ng,1n combination, a driving and a driven member,

change-gearing intermediate said members,

; devices for connecting the gears of the changegearing to said members to produce a plural ity of difierent speeds of the driven member fora given speed of the driving member, two levers and intermediate connections for actu- 1 ating said devices, a pivotally-mounted indicator for one of said levers, and a link connecting the indicator to the other lever, substantially as described.

9. A change-feed mechanism,having,in com- .1bination, a driving and a driven member,

'change gearing intermediate said members,

devices for connectingthe gears of the changegearing to said members to-produce a plurality of different speeds of the driven member for a given speed of the driving member, two

hand operated members and. intermediate devices for connecting the gears of the changegearing to said members to produce a plurality of difiierent speeds of the driven member for a given speed of the driving member, two handoperated members and intermediate connections for actuating said devices, an independently-mounted indicator-plate for one of said members, a pointer cooperating therewith movable with said member, and connections between said indicator plate and the other member for moving the same, substantially as described.

11. A change-feed mechanism, having, in combination, a driving and a driven member, change-gearing intermediate said members, devices for connecting the gears of the changegearing to said members to produce a plurality of different speeds of the driven member for a given speed of the driving member, two levers and intermediate connections for actuating said devices, an indicator-plate for one of said levers pivotally mounted upon the pivotal axis of said lever, a pointer cooperating therewith movable with said lever, and a link connecting the indicator-plate to the other, substantially as described.

12. A change-feed mechanism, having, in combination, a series of connected gears, a series of independent gears, a longitudinallymovable shaft upon which the'series of independent gears are mounted, a sleeve thereon,

devices carried by the shaft and sleeve for with movable with said lever, and a link connecting the indicator-plate to the other lever,

substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN EDGAR.

WVitnesses:

ALFRED H. HILDRETH, HENRIETTA O. RAYNER. 

